IBM has not tackled SaaS the traditional way (CRM/ERP…BPO), nor has it (yet) offered a PaaS solution.  Instead, we’ve enabled partners onto our platform, rolled out an appliance called the Blue Business Platform, offered some SaaS solutions in the non traditional (CRM/ERP) space from some of our aquisitions like Sametime Unyte. Further, we have hosted virtually every SaaS vendor or application through our Services group….yes, even the market leaders we all know by name.

While I’ve personally been on over 100 analyst briefings for our SaaS offerings, it’s time to get to the customers and partners.  We will be holding a SaaS event named Accelerating Business Value on October 15/16 in NY.  Our story has been good and virtually every analyst we’ve spoken to has raved about our pricing structure, but now it’s put up or shut up in front of the buying audience.

Here is the tagline for the event:

Leverage Emerging Delivery Models to Accelerate Business Value - Bringing Line of Business Executives and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) Together.

The schedule is as follows:On Day One, “ISV Day” - Software vendors will

• Hear about IBM’s strategy for Blue Business Platform (BBP) and how they can engage as an IBM business partner
• Ascertain best practices from analysts and successful SaaS ISVs. Learn how to leverage IBM’s SaaS Partner program
• Discover how to grow their SaaS business by adding Business Intelligence and Collaborative capabilities
• Network with IBM executives and other IBM business partners

On Day Two, “Customer Day” - Line of business executives and IT decision makers will

• Learn how alternative IT delivery models can radically simplify the deployment of IT solutions
• Gain insights from CIOs, analysts and IBM partners who have already successfully integrated these new delivery models
• See demonstrations of relevant Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions from IBM SaaS partners
• Network with peer executives and subject matter experts

It’s very interesting when you put yourself out there to be judged.  It was easy with the analysts as our story has been solid.  But this is going to be like asking the best looking girl out for a first date.  We’re putting our offering out there and inviting the top customers and partners to dance.

I thought the plotline for last year’s 24 was going to kill the series for me.  None of that seems to be in this trailer.

H/T Blogs for Bauer - Redemption Preview Link

We should remember how our country was attacked in an unprovoked, cowardly act by terrorists.  Here is a round up of articles from the good people at Blackfive.

As for me, here are my observations…

First, it was not an inside job for the BDS crowd.

Here is a link to the planes flying into the buildings for the inside nut jobs like Rosie O’Donnell.

But claiming it wasn’t a terrorist act is not the way to remember it.  It happened and just like all of man’s other low points in history, we should recognize it and learn from it.  Ignoring the past doesn’t make it go away.

Here’s the list of those who died that day.

H/T to KisP, Here is a memorial to those on Flight 93, in honor of them, Let’s Roll.

Never Forget from Psychologist Dr. Sanity.

History does Repeat Itself

Just as we should never forget the Holocost, this is the sign at Dauchau which I visited and saw personally what humans are capable of.  We didn’t learn though.  People have done despicable acts since Cain and Abel.

I suffer for the families who lost relatives and friends that day.  But fortunately, we haven’t had an attack since then as we’ve made the fight an away game.

The Towers Live On

Fortunately, the Trade Centers will live on as the USS New York, built with 24 tons of steel from the WTC, it is something to be proud of.

I hope they get to fight terrorists directly.  Maybe even defend another country from an attack.

Now, Hat Tip to many on the below links.

Here is the state of things 7 years after..

Some treat the Flag with more reverence than others, despite the rhetoric.

Even radical islam admits that terrorism is part of their mantra.

Even more shocking is the French are calling them barbaric, you go France.

I knew we could count on the Daily Kos to lower the standards further.

Here’s the evidence of how terrorists act.  Blackwater contractors. -Warning: This is from the Battle of Al-Fajr, and shows pictures of the burnt bodies that the terrorists hung from the bridge while they celebrate the hate and the depths of what humans can do.

I know there are a lot of America haters, mostly those who don’t revere the Judeo-Christian principals that our country was founded on, because they want us to lower our standards and morals.  History shows that this preceded the fall of all great civilizations in the past.  It is one of the main causes of mediocrity of many countries who are still in existence but are not the powers or leaders they once were.

From Patrick Henry in 1765, via Maverick News Media:

When men reduce their virtues to the approximate, then evil acquires the force of an absolute, when loyalty to an unyielding purpose is dropped by the virtuous, it’s picked up by scoundrels – and you get the indecent spectacle of a cringing, bargaining, traitorous good and a self-righteously uncompromising evil.

But as explained in the blog The Gates of Vienna (where Islam was turned back hundreds of years ago) about Americans, there is an analysis of how things are viewed the other way.  This is one of the best articles I’ve read summing up what the real America is, not what the nitwits in hollywood or the coastal elites try to represent as our country to the rest of the world.  BTW, the middle of the country are the voters who will decide the November election, just like every recent election.

And finally, I’ll end with the obvious.

If you are offended, please move on to your favorite page, I’m offended too by this event.   I was offended when at the 72 Olympics, the attack on the World Trade Center in 1993, the attack on the Pueblo, The USS Cole, the two American Embassy’s, that we had Osama Bin Laden 3 times in the 90’s and gave him back which would have prevented 9/11, that he declared war on the USA in ‘96 and we did nothing,  9/11,  and December 7, 1941 and almost daily by those who snipe at our country, both inside and out.  If it’s so bad, why is everyone still trying to get into America not elsewhere?  Even Alec Baldwin won’t leave like he promised, and he suffers from BDS publically.

I’ll have plenty to say….for now, I’ve got my permit

Here’s how:

I first had to decide that I have too many networks and within that, too many contacts or contributors.

I also got preturbed with the content that some were putting out and came to the realization that 1) some of it was a time waster and 2) I don’t need some of the aggravation.

So, I’m doing the culling.

I started by de-friending some people on Facebook, ususally a sin, but some just weren’t contributing, or just was too un friendly.

Next, and maybe best, I stopped following the Twitterers that are either spew too much, don’t offer enough real benefit to the social networking cause, or just ramble too often about too much nothing.

Likely, it’s because I’m a small time player, but it’s made my life a lot easier and who I’m following and the content I’m dealing with is now far more meaningful.

I think they taught this as simplification somewhere.

I know that country music is only enjoyed by a few billion people around the world, and made a whole lot more people laugh.  He wrote songs for Elvis and for Johnny Cash…

A great loss today of a very funny man and great singer/songwriter, Jerry Reed, 71.

Here is a link to Eastbound and Down from Smoky and the Bandit.

Trends and Tendencies

I’ve noted more than a few tendencies between those who Blog and Tweet.

Disclaimer: I’m not the moral police, I’m just a watcher. One of my peculiarities is noticing trends and things that are related which could be disparate.

As I’ve written previously, the language is far worse on twitter than blogging, although kudos to those who have cleaned up their act.

I’ve also noticed for those who tweet (with the exception of Carter Lusher and Jeramiah Owyang), the volume of blogging has dropped noticeably.  Me too, so I don’t excuse anyone.  I’m attributing this to mostly the path of least resistance…140 characters is just easier.  Some are ADD like (no offense, there are those in my family who have this) in their twittering.  I’ve had to block and stop following the crowd that must post their diet/menu and whether a flight was late.  However, I do like knowing where some people are.

Just so I’m not completely negative, I’m now reaching some via Twitter where email goes days without a response….. and texting is so yesterday.  So I like that point, and thanks to those who are responsive.

Now, a trend that somewhat goes back to point one.  People are much more willing to be transparent with their negative views.  Some have been surprisingly vitriolic, sexist (against some of the candidates and there has been one from each party now) and pretty revealing to a side of themselves that normally they don’t show.

Road Rage Trends

I’ll show my age by noticing that trends like this started with road rage where one felt empowered to cut off people, give the half a peace sign and be mean in traffic because the car made them feel bulletproof.

Then came email roadrage.  How many times have you been flamed?  If you haven’t you don’t email much.

Then there was the listserver road rage with threads starting out on one subject and ending just short of murder.

What about Twitter?

Now twitter.  With the recent nomination of Sara Palin (note, there were the Hillary haters, so I don’t excuse anyone), I’ve noticed quite a transparency in both America bashing - mostly from those who don’t live here, moral values, political views and a new version of road rage and meanness that people think they are hiding behind, you’re not.  I’m not against people being transparent, I’m observing trends.

Your Online Personality is a Conglomeration

Barbara and Stephen point out that despite the separation of the tools and intentions, they are part of the online opinion that one forms of the author.  I’ve read the multiple social media outputs of numerous people, and all of that comes together to make up how I view them, regardless of their intent.  I’m guessing I’m not alone, so Stephen and Barbara are right.

Conclusion

So if one wants to rant in one place and think it’s not noticed, think again.  I’ve been very surprised and dissapointed with some of the spew from those I’ve thought differently of.  As my mother once told me, if you don’t have anything nice to say….go post it where only your crowd reads it (ok, not really like that).

I found this great link to Twitter Best practices…as always, some are better than others.  Because I link to it, I don’t necessarily endorse it, but it is helpful for those considering twittering.